Pages

Steve Rasnic Tem and Melanie Tem are no strangers to the
writing business. Between the two of them, they have published more
than 600 short stories, 20 novels, and 10 short story collections.
Not to mention numerous articles, essays, poems, and plays. They've
won the World Fantasy Award, British Fantasy Award, and Bram Stoker
Award.

In this book they go over everything from the mechanics of
writing, to how to find the time to write, to dealing with all the
paper writers tend to collect. They discuss plot, point of view,
setting, characterization, and more, all in an informal tone that
invites you to become part of their conversation. Learn how to find
your stories because they are Yours to Tell.

Yours to Tell is a writing craft
book that goes over everything from the mechanics of plot and
characterization to the occupational hazards of writing (i.e. being
buried in paper) and a writer's schedule. Yours to Tell is
conversational in nature with each chapter beginning with a prompt,
and both Melanie and Steve talking and giving ideas or solutions for
it. Different writers will identify with many of the things they talk
about, especially when one writer is a saver and a book collector,
and the other writer prefers an electronic life.

There are so many things a writer could
get hung up on when writing becomes a business. But focusing on the
art of simply writing is important. From the book:

Everyone has a story to tell, and each
story will have a new and different perspective. And fiction is
especially interesting because readers have to believe in that
writer's reality to become part of the book. The chapter on Engaging
the Reader was probably most important to me as it goes into the
relationship the writer has with the reader, providing great examples
and ways authors can engage readers.

There’s a growing demand for dependably hardy plants that require
less maintenance and less water, but look no less beautiful in the
garden. Plant Select—the leading purveyor of plants designed to thrive
in difficult climates—meets this need by promoting plants that allow
gardeners everywhere to have stunning, environmentally-friendly gardens
that use fewer resources. Pretty Tough Plants highlights 135 of Plant
Select’s top plant picks. Each profile features a color photograph and
specific details about the plant’s size, best features, and bloom
season, along with cultural needs, landscape features, and design ideas.
The plant list includes perennials and annuals, groundcovers, grasses,
shrubs, and trees. A chart at the end of the book makes it easy to
choose the right plants for specific conditions and needs.

From the Arctic waters of Alaska to the southern tip
of California, this fully illustrated guide captures the stunning
diversity of fishes along the western coastlines of the United States
and Canada. The combined work of renowned marine science illustrator Val
Kells and distinguished ichthyologists Luiz A. Rocha and Larry G.
Allen, A Field Guide to Coastal Fishes: From Alaska to California is
this region’s most current and thorough fish identification guide.

Whether you are an angler, scuba diver, naturalist, student, or
teacher, you will find every fish you’re trying to identify, each shown
in lifelike detail. The book’s coverage extends from shallow, brackish
waters to depths of about 200 meters.

Key features include· Over 950 illustrations of adults,
juveniles, and color variants · Descriptions of 157 fish families and
almost 700 species· Text presented adjacent to the illustrations·
Concise details about the biology, range, and distribution of each
species

Poised to become your go-to reference, this guide will find a
welcome spot on your boat, in your backpack, or on your bookshelf.

Reclusive and
severely scarred Prince Adam Delacroix has remained hidden inside a
secluded, decrepit castle ever since he witnessed his family’s brutal
massacre. Cloaked in shadow, with only the lamentations of past ghosts
for company, he has abandoned all hope, allowing the world to believe he
died on that tragic eve twenty-five years ago.

Caught in a fierce snowstorm, beautiful and strong-willed Isabelle Rose
seeks shelter at a castle—unaware that its beastly and disfigured
master is much more than he appears to be. When he imprisons her gravely
ill and blind father, she bravely offers herself in his place.

Stripped of his emotional defenses, Adam’s humanity reawakens as he
encounters a kindred soul in Isabelle. Together they will wade through
darkness and discover beauty and passion in the most unlikely of places.
But when a monster from Isabelle’s former life threatens their new
love, Demrov’s forgotten prince must emerge from his shadows and face
the world once more…

Beauty of the Beast is a magical retelling of the classic tale, Beauty and the Beast. But unlike other versions, there is no fairy magic where the hero is entranced by a sorceress, or where there is a chance the beast may turn into his former handsome self at the end. Adam is tragically physically disfigured and his formerly happy life destroyed. He feels he himself is a beast and shuts himself in his castle from the outside world for two decades.

We are introduced to Isabel who puts her family's well being over her own by becoming engaged to Raphael in exchange for medical care for her ailing father. Raphael is arrogant, wealthy, and very cruel. Raphael causes Isabel great physical
pain and heartache yet I felt a twinge of sorrow for him because of his own upbringing. However, as
the story progressed it became obvious he wasn't deserving of any sympathy and was too far gone to save.

By the time Isabel comes into Adam's life, he wants no part of the outside world. She finds a way to escape from the obsessive Raphael but ends up as a prisoner in the castle. Then the questions arise for both of them - if whether beautiful people can become beasts, and can beauty be hidden by physical scars.

I enjoyed this version of Beauty and the Beast immensely because it wasn't just a tale about a beautiful girl and a beast of a man, but rather it was about whether people can find beauty on the inside and overlook physical appearances.

Beauty of the Beast is a classic Gothic love story, and the author does a wonderful job with imagery. Stories like this remind me of why I love this genre so much. A truly captivating and riveting retelling of a beloved tale, and I look forward to the author's version of the next fairy tale.

Pitmaster is the definitive guide to becoming a
barbecue aficionado and top-shelf cook from renowned chefs Andy Husbands
and Chris Hart.

Barbecue is more than a great way to cook a tasty dinner. For a true pitmaster, barbecue is a way of life.Pitmaster is the definitive guide to becoming a barbecue
aficionado and top-shelf cook, whether you’re new to the grill or a
seasoned vet. Recipes begin with basics, like cooking Memphis-style
ribs, and expand to smoking whole hogs North Carolina style.There is no single path to becoming a pitmaster. Barbecue lovers
are equally inspired by restaurants with a commitment to regional
traditions, competition barbecue champions, families with a
multi-generational tradition of roasting whole hogs, and even amateur
backyard fanatics.This definitive collection of barbecue expertise will leave you
in no doubt why expert chefs and backyard cooks alike eat, live, and
breathe barbecue.

From the All Q'd Up blog:

"The chapters go into styles of barbecue, and delve into the main
regions: Backyard Barbecue; North Carolina; Kansas City; Texas; The
North; and Competition Barbecue. As far as recipes, this book has the
classics from the above regions that are the go-to ones, with nothing
extra that doesn’t fit. You’ll find favorites like barbecue rubs,
sauces, and sides to the actual meats that define the barbecue regions –
Butcher Paper [Beef] Brisket from Texas, and Whole Hog Eastern North
Carolina Style."

Named one of the Best Cookbooks of the Year by Food & Wine, The Boston Globe, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, The San Francisco Chronicle, USA Today, The Washington Post, and more

Israeli baking encompasses the influences of so many regions—Morocco,
Yemen, Germany, and Georgia, to name a few—and master baker Uri Scheft
seamlessly marries all of these in his incredible baked goods at his
Breads Bakery in New York City and Lehamim Bakery in Tel Aviv.
Nutella-filled babkas, potato and shakshuka focaccia, and chocolate
rugelach are pulled out of the ovens several times an hour for waiting
crowds. In Breaking Breads, Scheft takes the combined influences
of his Scandinavian heritage, his European pastry training, and his
Israeli and New York City homes to provide sweet and savory baking
recipes that cover European, Israeli, and Middle Eastern favorites.
Scheft sheds new light on classics like challah, babka, and ciabatta—and
provides his creative twists on them as well, showing how bakers can do
the same at home—and introduces his take on Middle Eastern daily breads
like kubaneh and jachnun. The instructions are detailed and the photos
explanatory so that anyone can make Scheft’s Poppy Seed Hamantaschen,
Cheese Bourekas, and Jerusalem Bagels, among other recipes. With several
key dough recipes and hundreds of Israeli-, Middle Eastern–, Eastern
European–, Scandinavian-, and Mediterranean-influenced recipes, this is
truly a global baking bible.

"Breaking Breads by Uri Scheft gives spirit to old favorites,
and is a reflection of the author’s travels. Traditional challah,
laminated breads, flatbreads, and stuffed breads are all greatly
described and made, and he mixes contemporary ingredients with
traditional methods. And it’s not just about yeast breads – we are
presented with wonderful treats for afternoon tea or coffee, too, and
all the things to serve them with, a surprising focus on the savory
here."

Alexander Anderson has a reputation that would strike fear into the heart of the devil himself. And now, Aria Starbird is his property. Aria has spent only a few months as a lowly slave, but already her happy childhood memories were starting to fade under the weight of her brutal existence.

When she is sold to Lord Anderson at an auction, she cannot help but be afraid. Lord Anderson is known for his cruelty. He is fiendish and handsome and as wicked as he is wealthy.
However, as she gets to know her new master, she realizes there is more to him than meets the eye. Over time, she is able to penetrate his tough exterior, and begins to understand the struggle of a man who believes love is a weakness, but whose heart is now yearning for something unknown.

As the two let down their walls and discover each other’s truths, will Aria be able to tame Alexander's inner-beast?

This is a story of a girl who is sold off to ease her very poor parent's burden. And while the story had elements that were good, the violence was a little over the top, and seemed wholly unnecessary at times. We are introduced to the heroine being sold off to two different men, and the hero nonchalantly talking about killing four slaves in a week.

It's hard to put your heart into reading a historical romance with really so much violence going on around the slaves. The issue here isn't actual slavery, but the attitude of sadistic violence that all the characters employ. (Spoiler: there is an actual torture dungeon in the house, and the occupants can hear the screams.) The main characters regard torturing someone as a non issue, so much so that it was hard to like anyone. The writing and the dialogue between the characters seemed disjointed in places making it hard to follow along, and the ending fell flat.

I try to find the good in most books, though, and I was truly amazed that Aria seemed to hold her own even though she was sold by her poor parents into lifetime servitude (although she never really much acted like an actual slave throughout the book) and she had endured so much torture and abuse. That by itself shows her strength.

Making bread is an ancient craft and a fulfilling experience, a skill
that is learnt by touch and feel. There is nothing more satisfying than
kneading, pulling, stretching and punching the dough, using a little
yeast and sugar to transform its lumpen beginnings, as if by alchemy,
into a loaf. But it's not all hard work. To get a truly wonderful bread,
you can use a starter to do the work for you and it does wonders for
the texture, flavours and aromas of the final bread. The Real Bread
Campaign has been running since 2008, encouraging people to get baking
and raising awareness of the additives that exist in most shop-bought
loaves. In Slow Dough: Real Bread, learn secrets from the
campaign's network of expert bakers to make a huge array of exciting
slow-rise breads at home. Whether you want to make a Caraway Seed Rye
Bread, a Fougasse Flatbread or an All-Butter Brioche, in these recipes
you'll learn how to make different starters for different breads, as
well as the fundamental processes (many of which you can just sit and
wait for): fermenting, kneading, first proof, last rising, and baking.
In a world of mass-production and redundant additives, bread being among
the worst offenders, this book, about real craftsmanship, is like a
breath of fresh air.

TRAVEL TURNED ME INTO A STORYTELLERTo travel the world is an
amazing experience. I’ve spent years traveling alone along popular
tourist trails and to remote travel destinations far beyond them. Each
travel experience is an adventure and each adventure gives with a story
to tell. Fascinating travel memoirs deserve to be shared so one day I
decided that I’d write 80 of my best travel stories.

After leaving me speechless, my world travel then turned me into a storyteller!

I’ve
found that adventure travel on a budget is a kaleidoscope of people,
places, events, history, culture, food and fun. Through the pages of my
travel book, I’ll bring it all to life for you. The collection of short
stories is fascinating, inspiring, amusing and amazing. Collectively,
they are an insight into the wonderful highs and gritty realities of traveling the world on a budget.

This is a collection of stories from different places the author has visited. Each story is long enough to give a feeling of location, but probably short enough to fit into a blog post. It was easy to read but felt a bit disjointed as the locations aren't presented in the order of how he visited them, and are fairly randomized in the book. Having said that, the randomized order by the author was intentional.

The stories themselves are good, though, and some were very informative. His visit to Tennant Creek in Australia is a reminder to always pay up if you use facilities in a new location without permission and his trip to Gujarat, India, warns of eating strange foods and strange places. For the most part, he finds that the people from different cultures are welcoming and helpful. The single accompanying photo shows what stood out for him on each trip, and each locale was well described.

In each city Tomlinson highlights the things that stood out with the people and landscape, surroundings if in a city, and a little history if he learns it. This is a travel book that is appropriate for kids and adults alike.

Thirty seconds after the jury announced its verdict, I decided to kill my client.Second-string
linebacker turned trial lawyer Jake Lassiter squares off against his
toughest, most unpredictable adversary yet: himself.The downward
spiral begins when Jake’s client, Miami Dolphins’ running back Thunder
Thurston, is cleared of murdering his wife. Jake didn’t expect to win,
didn’t want to win, since he is sure his client is guilty. When Thurston
walks free, Lassiter vows to seek his own kind of justice. Street
justice. Vigilante justice.Law partners Steve Solomon and
Victoria Lord can’t believe their friend has become so deeply,
inexplicably obsessed with killing Thurston. Convinced Jake’s unhinged
behavior is due to concussive brain injuries suffered during his pro
football career, they beg him to seek treatment. But as Lassiter’s
raging fixation on vengeance grows, Solomon and Lord wonder if they’re
too late to help. Is it game over for Jake’s career…and his life?

A fast paced story and a really great read. The story line began with the improbable decision by a lawyer to kill his client, and by the time the middle of the story came around I was hooked and read straight through to the end.

Jake Lassiter is a lawyer who's seemingly a shark and one who will win at all costs, but really wants to find redemption in his life. He not only believes his client is guilty and wants a way to even the score, but he is caught up in a scandal where he looks guilty as hell, and the clock is ticking to prove his innocence. He is former pro football player who has had numerous head injuries leading his friends and family to believe there is a relationship between the swift change in his behavior and previous (and current) concussions.

I loved the story line, and the pace that it's written. It was funny and smart, two great additions to any mystery. This book is the second in the series Lassiter, Solomon & Lord, and I'm guessing the next book will be as good as this one.

After David Summers enlists with the Confederate cavalry, his delusion
of chivalry is soon crushed when he witnesses the horrors of battle.
Shot by a Union picket, he winds up at a stranger’s farm. Four girls
compassionately nurse him back to health. David learns his comrades have
deserted him in Pennsylvania following the Battle of Gettysburg, but
his dilemma becomes much worse. He falls in love with the older sister,
Anna, who entices him with a proposition. To his dismay, he must make a
decision. Should he stay and help Anna with her underhanded plan, or
return to the army and risk capture?

For a girl who likes history, reading about life during the Civil War was just icing on the cake for this sweet romance. The story really was engaging and well written, and I could picture myself in that time period. Very well researched and detailed, and it was pretty honest of how slaves and freed men were treated back then. I don't know why this stuck with me, but in other fiction books I've read of the Civil War, when it came to the issue of slaves, the South was bad and the North was good and treated all freed slaves as free white men, which wasn't always the case.

It begins with a family of girls in Union territory finding a Confederate soldier injured, and how they nurse him back to health. The oldest sister gets him to stay one time, then asks him to stay longer with a proposition. Great story line and the characters were all likable. While Anna and David were the main characters, Maggie, the younger sister, and Patrick, a neighbor, helped make the story better.

I loved this book! It's a longer book, so she has the time to work in details from her research. This was the first book I've ready by J.D.R. Hawkins, and I look forward to reading more historical pieces from this author.

From the founder and the chief operating officer of Meals to Heal (a
company that provides vetted nutritional information and prepared meals
delivery to cancer patients and their families): 150 nutritionally
balanced recipes created with an eye toward the special needs of cancer
patients (e.g. mouth sores, nausea, and difficulty swallowing) who often
suffer from malnutrition.

I loved this book. I read and reviewed this for my personal blog and also shared a great recipe from it: Parchment Paper Steamed Fish and Vegetables.

My summary, "If you are on a cancer treatment path that includes chemo, then this is
the perfect book to have in the kitchen. No empty promises for an easy
ride through treatment (because there isn’t one), just real world,
wholesome recipes that provide nutrients making you stronger - and
presented in a way that tackles your side effects and manages your
symptoms. Highly recommended read." Read the review below.

The Meals to Heal Cookbook: 150 Easy, Nutritionally Balanced Recipes to Nourish You During Your Fight with Cancer by Susan Bratton and Jessica Iannotta.

I read this via an audiobook, and am so glad I did. The three women reading it made this psychological thriller really hard to put down. And with them in character, each made me feel a little something more.

Blurb:

Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning. Every day she
rattles down the track, flashes past a stretch of cozy suburban homes,
and stops at the signal that allows her to daily watch the same couple
breakfasting on their deck. She’s even started to feel like she knows
them. "Jess and Jason," she calls them. Their life—as she sees it—is
perfect. Not unlike the life she recently lost. And then she sees
something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but
it’s enough. Now everything’s changed. Unable to keep it to herself,
Rachel offers what she knows to the police, and becomes inextricably
entwined in what happens next, as well as in the lives of everyone
involved. Has she done more harm than good? Compulsively readable, The Girl on the Train is an emotionally immersive, Hitchcockian thriller and an electrifying debut.

A mystery and whodunit in one, this was a great example of what a classic Hitchcock film was like when I watched them as a kid. No jump out at you moments or gory details; just a smooth and completely engrossing tale of a woman who suffers alcoholic blackouts who thinks she knows what she sees. As the book progresses, I ended up with a pity-hate relationship with her: she was so screwed up that her actions were both pitiful and made you angry at the same time reading it.

While most books you can tell a little bit about the plot without giving it away, this book is a true 'read it for yourself' one. If you are an Audible member, Clare Corbett, Louise Brealey, India Fisher all did a superb job of telling the story of the three women in the book.

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Welcome to Succotash Book Reviews!

Succotash Reviews contains book reviews from reading or writing clubs I belong to, from books that publishers or authors send to me for review purposes, gems from the library or bookstores, and even ones from my bookshelf. There are also links to different reviews I've done on other sites.

I like to read - therefore, I have a mix of different new and archival cookbooks, historical ichthyology, old pastry and baking books, non-fiction, and of course, fiction.

All opinions are my own. Click the "About Succotash Reviews" above for information on my reviews. Thanks for stopping by!